Marquinhos: 'We need time, work, and unity'

Marquinhos, how are you feeling after a busy summer with the Copa America,  and a late return to pre-season?

"I feel really good. I'm already settled into this new season. When you get back, you've not necessarily got the pre-season training in your legs that you need, but the coach is making sure this year that we're ready. He took his time and gave us two or three weeks of intense training before playing in a match, and that was essential. Yes, it means we've lost some minutes on the pitch at the start of the season, but we know that we'll be in shape for the rest of the season. And now, we have matches coming thick and fast, and I feel really good."

It looks to us that the team is getting better and better. Is that the case for you in the dressing room?

"Yes, definitely. We speak about it among us too. We have the feeling we're getting better and better. We had some difficulty in the first few matches, but it was really that we weren't into the swing of things. And even if you train hard and you give your all in training...Matches are something else in terms of intensity. So now, we're starting to get into a rhythm with the matches coming so quickly one after the other."

Paris has had a perfect start to the season with eight wins from eight. Was it important for you to start well in Ligue 1?

"Yes, it was a challenge. When you're a competitor, you have to immediately get yourself in a position to win again. At the start of the season, we said that this year we mustn't make the same errors as last year, because we finished second just because of one point. And that's the kind of point that you have to pick up at the start of the season, even if the match is difficult. You have to say to yourself that if we manage to win it, it'll make a big difference at the end of the season."

What's your thoughts on Paris' recent wins, which have come late in games?

"I'm an optimist. I always try to be positive, even when things are difficult, and I try to look for the positives. But it's true that there are always positive things to draw from that sort of situation. You have to tell yourself that you're not going into a game to make life difficult for yourself. Of course, we would have liked to have killed the match off before, but it's not always that easy. That's when I have to show a strong character and be in good shape physically to be able, at the end of the game, to be solid and push the team to win a game like that."

And you'll need to continue that against Rennes. Is killing off the match early an objective?

"The aim, first of all, is to win. That's the most important thing. And then there is the way to win. Of course, we'd like the match to be calm, take the lead in the first half...But you can never predict what is going to happen. We'll see what happens, and prepare well for it to finish the week as well as possible. The game will kick off at a bit of an unusual time, one at which we're not used to playing, so it's a good experience. We're simply going to try and win, however we do that. We have shown what we can do against Manchester City, being solid, and that is a good win and that's what we want to build on. Now, it's up to us to continue in the same vein."

And finally, what is your secret to a good season?

"Team spirit. I think that's what has taken us further and further in the competitions in which we have played. And I think we need time, work, unity and humility. We also need to find that cohesion and understanding on the pitch so that all the players can shine and do their best on the pitch, that we understand each other perfectly. Little by little, that is going to come, and I hope we can do some great things this season."